From the blurb: Marcus Sinclair is a history teacher whose life is stuck in neutral when he inherits a papyrus scroll from his antiquarian uncle. The mysterious scroll might contain a lost masterpiece from ancient Rome or perhaps an ancient recipe for personal tranquility, but it’s unreadable unless Marcus can figure out a way to unroll the scroll without destroying it. His quest takes him to Naples, where he befriends a Google software engineer days before the man is found dead. Marcus is interviewed by an investigative journalist, Kristi Grainger, and they find themselves on parallel paths leading to a Neapolitan trafficker in antiquities, a tech mogul obsessed with the distant past, and a clutch of academics searching for the lost library of Herculaneum. In a seaside city that is by turns lush and lethal, Marcus must confront the unravelling of more than a scroll.
And yes, that’s what happens in this book. So far, so good. Unfortunately, the story unfolds like the scroll it is all about: you see some parts and then you start imagining what the rest of the story could be. The author knows, so he tells us in short chapters and from different POV’s. The clues as to what is on the scroll and who stole it when and where (because it’s not so straightforward) are far and wide between and I had to go back in the book sometimes to better understand what was happening at certain points.
I liked the historical and scientific background but the characters stayed a bit flat. It all reminded me of a puzzle that needed to be solved without ever seeing the finished one. Not bad but not spectacular either.
Thanks to ECW Press and Netgalley for this review copy.

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The dark side of antiquities. Marcus didn't know what he inherited when his uncle died beyond the fact that it is scroll he is unable to read. And so he goes on a quest and that quest leads to the murder of a man who was trying to help. Now, he's working with Kristi, a journalist to get answers not only about the scroll but also to find the villain. Antiquities are a big and nasty business with international bad guys. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This one is for fans of the genre (you know who you are).

It must be so hard to write a book, that it pains me to write a negative review, but this novel was not for me. I liked some parts, especially the historical information and the descriptions of the places in which the action takes place. The details about modern technologies being developed to translate unreadable manuscripts were fascinating. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with any of the characters, so it was hard to root for them. The plot seems too disorganized and full of details that don’t add much to the action (like the food the characters eat). I may not have been the right reader for this.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ECW Press.

After receiving a papyrus scroll from his uncle, an antiquarian, Marcus Sinclair, a history teacher, finds his life in a rut. Unreadable until Marcus can figure out how to unroll the mystery scroll without it being damaged, it may hold a lost masterwork from ancient Rome. What comes next is a thrilling conspiracy adventure tale with outstanding characters and a great ending.

I enjoyed reading this book. The story was interesting and the characters were well formed. Lots of intrigue and twists to keep you guessing. I'll be reading more from this author.

This was a really well done murder mystery novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed in the antiquities. It had that plot element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall storyline that was going on. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and was glad I got to read this. Eric Siblin has a strong writing style and can't wait for more.